ICEX Vives

ICEX Vives

Provides Spanish companies zero-cost global placements for young professionals through fully covered internships.

ICEX Vives is a rolling internship program administered by ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones, the Spanish public agency responsible for export promotion and foreign investment attraction, operating under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise. The program places young Spanish professionals at foreign subsidiaries of Spanish companies on six-to-twelve-month internship contracts, with costs covered entirely by ICEX — including the intern's monthly allowance, medical insurance, and travel assistance. Participating companies receive the intern at zero direct cost; ICEX handles all administrative procedures and financial coverage on the company's behalf. The 2021–2025 program budget totaled €57.91 million, with a 2026–2030 continuation expected though not yet confirmed by official publication as of mid-2026.

To qualify, a company must be constituted in Spain and must have either commercial or productive activity abroad, or an active strategic international expansion plan. The program is open only to for-profit companies; nonprofits, universities, and research organizations are not eligible. There is no sector restriction. Internship duration runs six to twelve months, with the possibility of a further twelve-month extension subject to visa availability. ICEX manages all placement logistics and financial flows, positioning Vives as a fully subsidized talent pipeline for companies executing international growth.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no fixed deadline — companies register through the ICEX Vives portal on the ICEX website. There is no competitive scoring round or submission window; approval is administrative, based on eligibility verification. Spanish companies building or managing foreign subsidiary networks — particularly those in manufacturing, export-intensive sectors, or early-stage international expansion — are the primary users of the program. Companies should confirm the continuation of the 2026–2030 cycle directly through ICEX before initiating a new registration.